Latching device



May 20, 1941.. J. s. ocoNNoR LATCHING DEVICE Filed Jan. l2, 1939 www 015m@ ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 2G, 1941 LATCHING DEVICE John B. OConnor, Aurora, Ill. assigner to Lyon Metal Products, Incorporated, Aurora, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 12, 1939, Serial No. 250,568

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to a latching device and particularly to a device of compact.

structure adapted for cooperation with a locker door or the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved latch construction in which latching means oppositely engage with a keeper for positively engaging the keeper on opposite sides and for exerting a strutting or canting action to resist unauthorized disengagement of the parts.

More particularly the present invention contemplates the provision of a latching structure as above, which, while being relatively small for employment in conjunction with extremely restricted spaces such as the margin of a locker door, is nevertheless structurally strong and canpable of adequately preventing tampering or destruction of the parts.

It is therefore an additional object of the present invention to provide a latching structure as above in which the latch may be composedl of a wire or other elongated material resiliently` adapted to engage a keeper but wherein the unlatching forces are normally resisted by the compressive strength of the elongated member so as to provide a combination of simple construction and great strength.

Among other objects of the present invention are to provide an interposed latching construction capable of being formed of a single piece of elongated material which is operative to engage a keeper oppositely and to maintain positive latching eiliciency even though one of the oppositely disposed latching members is released; to provide an improved latch mounting strucv ture of sheet material; and to provide an im proved cooperating keeper having opposed shoulders for spacing and alining in a direction for producing maximum locking eliiciency.

Yet other and further objects will be apparent from a consideration of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a locker construction.

fil

'box-like enclosure. wardly extending free edge of the door (as Fig. 5 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view the same as Fig. 5 but showing the position of the parts as the latch begins to engage the keeper.

Figs. 'l' and 8 are perspective views of the latchingmember.

Referring to the figures of the drawing wherein the present invention is illustrated more in detail, Fig. 1 discloses one preferred form of locker embodying the present invention, the locker being illustrated in general by the reference nu- -meral I and having a door I2 mounted in a door frame or jamb I4.

The door frame I4 mounts a pair of keeper members indicated by the reference numeral I (see Figs.l 1, 5 and 6), each keeper member comprising an attachment flange I8 welded to the inner face of the door frame (Figs. 5 and 6) and having a generally U-shaped portion extending into the door opening. The U-shaped portion comprises a rearwardly extending arm 20, a laterally extending portion 22 at the .rearward extremity of the arm and a third arm 24 projecting forwardly ofthe door opening. The arm 24 is provided along its forward vertical edge with a reversely extending cap 26 secured in position by rivets 28 (Figs. 3 and 4). It will be obvious from the above disclosure that the rearward edges of the caps 26 provide locking shoulders for cooperation with latching means, as will hereinafter appear more in detail.

.The arms 20 and 24 of the keeper are centrally apertured to receive oppositely disposed projections of a resilient buffer member 30 for retaining the resilient member in the re-entrant portion of the keeper stretcher and providing a positively supported cushion against the impact of the door.

- The door I2 is mounted upon hinges 32 and in the illustration shown is formed of sheet material flanged adjacent its edges to form a generally reversely extending portion providing a More particularly, the upclearly shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6) is rst flanged rearwardly as at 34 and then laterally as at 36 in a plane parallel to the plane of the door, but spaced rearwardly therefrom. Within the U- shaped enclosure thus provided is mounted a vertically extending channel member 38 having a base wall 40 and opposed parallel side walls 42 and 44, respectively. The channel member 38, while engaged snugly by the anges 34 and 36, is nevertheless supported thereby for vertical y reciprocation. Any suitable means (not shown) may be employed for retaining the channel member in the position shown for free, adjustable reciprocation within predetermined limits. To this end there n-ay be employed a detent or pin in one of the members engaging in a vertically extending slot in the other member.

Vertical' movement of the channel. member is controllable by means of a handle construction 'i6 comprising an outer handle element i8 which is secured to the outer surface of the door by fastening means (not shown in detail) and by an inner, relatively movable handle construction 50. The inner handle has rearwardly extending tabs or flanges 52 which project through a pair of elongated slots 54 in the front portion of the door and are fastened directly to the rear wall 40 of the channel member by fastening means 5S. An angle member 58 forms a housing enclosing the elongated slots 5d on their inner sides so that instruments cannot be inserted through the slot to tamper with the latching mechanism.

In order that the angle member 58 will enclose and house the inner faces of the elongated apertures 5d, it is secured to the channel member and is preferably of relatively considerable length so that it resides opposite the apertures 5d regardless of the vertical adjustment of the bar. While not shown in detail, the angle member 58 has endwalls providing a substantially complete enclosure and may be provided with flanges for welding directly to the rear wall of the channel in accordance with the structure more fully disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 115,595, Patent 2,195,223 issued "March 26, i940,

of which the present application is a continuation in part.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that by grasping the inner handle 5l! and moving it upwardly relative to the outer handle 5t, the channel member will be shifted vertically a predetermined distance. A downwardly projecting lug 60 on the inner handle projects through a corresponding aperture in the outer handle d8 (see Fig. 2) and is apertured in its lower extremity as at S2' to receive a locking device.

In order to enable the door to reach closed position (as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5), the rearward door flange 36, as well as the iange d2 of the channel member 38, are apertured as at @d and B6, respectively, opposite each forwardly extending keeper portion. The aperture 66 may be, and is in the embodiment shown, preferably smaller in vertical extent since the aperture G6 must permit entry of the keeper in spite of the varying vertical adjustment of the channel.

On the interior surface of the channel wall 42, there is mounted a latching construction comprising an elongated length of wire formed (as clearly shown in Fig. 6) to provide parallel, spaced, vertically extending resilient legs 68 provided lwith rectangularly shaped lateral projections intermediate of their length and extending in relatively inclined planes. These projections (as shown more clearly in Fig. 8) comprise parallel arms 10 projecting laterally from each of the vertically extending legs and joined by a.A transversely extending keeper portion l2. It is importions is inclined with respect to the plane of the vertical legs 68 and that they convergel together as they progress from the said plane. The legs $8 are joined together adjacent their lower ends by a-lateral arm 'I4 and at their upper ends by a lateral arm 16 which may be joined or which to 6, is rigidly fastened to the door assembly and cannot be removed therefrom. At the same time,

- 72 (see Fig'. 6).

may merely comprise two ends of the wire arranged in abutment as shown in the g'ure.

The elongated member is mounted upon and supported bya mounting means (shown more clearly in Fig. 7) and comprising a main, upwardly extending wall 18 apertured as at 80 to correspond with the aperture 66 in the wall of the channel member and having lateral, short, projecting side anges 82. It should be noted that the flanges 82 are spaced just suiiciently to oppositely engage the vertically extending arms 68 of the elongated latching member to retain them in position. The uppervand lower transversely extending arms 'it and 16 of the latch member are engaged by curved,l recessed anges 8d adjacent the upper and lower ends of the mounting frame.

It should be noted particularly that the curved, recessed flanges t@ provide recesses on the rearward face of the supporting and mounting frame so that the elongated arms 'M and 76 are engaged behind the mounting member while the vertically extending arms 68 are engaged adjacent the forward side thereof, thereby firmly and rigidly interconnecting the latching member and its supporting frame. Curved arm engaging flanges @it are extended oppositely as at 86 to provide fiat attachment flanges permitting the securement of the latching unit in place within the channel member by means of spot welding t8, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the elongated latching element, supported and interconnected with the supporting frame and the channel member, as shown in Figs. 2

however, the upwardly extending arms thereof and the intermediate rectangular conformations are free to move resiliently about the axes of the arms against the resilient torsional resistance thereof. That is to say, the upper and lower ends of the arms 68 are rmly fixed against rotation about the axes of the arms whereas the intermediate portions are free from such attachment. As a result the rectangular or latching portions, while normally urged together, as shown in Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7, may be resiliently separated against the spring tension of the vertically extending arms 68.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that when the door is swung toward closed position, the forwardly projecting end of the keeper will progress relatively through the apertures 64, 66 and t to contact the inwardly extending portions of the keeper, which are, namely, the arms These will be resiliently separated to admit the ends of the keeper and' will spring to the position shown behind the edges of -portant to note that each of these projecting the cap member 26 when-the door has reached closed position (Fig. 5). This action takes place for the reason that with the channel 38 in its normal, lowermost position, the latching portions 10 and l2 of the latching members are in substantial alinement with the respective keepers.A When it is desired to release the latching engagement of the parts, the handle assembly is grasped to shift the inner handle 50 relatively upwardly, thus carrying upwardly the channel 38 and its associated latching mechanism. In so moving the keeper engaging portions of the latching mechanism this time parts are disengaged and the door may be freely opened.

Upon releasing the lower handle 50 the channel and associated mechanism falls into its original position forre-engagement with the keeper.

Attention is particularly directed to the Afact that the present invention provides a latching structure which is characterized by a strutting action. That is to say, when it is attempted to open the do'or without releasing the latch, the engagement of the cap portion of the keeper, with' the arms 12 of the latch, tends. to urge the opposed latches even closer together and results in the transmitting of a compressive force through the laterally extending arms 'III of the keeper members. Thus the relatively simple keeper structure is enabled to exert a surprisingly great force in resistance to unauthorized opening of .the

fact that the latch members present little or-no.

surface susceptible to engagement by instruments and further since the latches act on 0D- posite sides of the keeper, whereby the release of one still results in interlocking of the other opposed latch member.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A latching device of the class described, and adapted for engagement with a keeper member, comprisinga pair o f spaced latch members comprising portions formed of wire and arranged in relatively inclined planes and mounted for resilient movement about elongated sections arranged in predetermined, generally parallel,

spaced axes, said wire portions being resiliently separable about said elongated sections to permit the passage of a keeper member therebetween.

2. A latching mechanism for a locker or the like comprising a pair of elongated ymembers spaced apart and being provided with laterally projecting latching portions, said members being anchored substantially adjacent their ends and said laterally projecting portions being relatively twistable about the axes of said elongated members against the resilient torsion thereof, the latching portions converging whereby to engage a keeper member inserted therebetween,

3. A latching unit for use in a locker latching device or the like, comprising opposed latching members mounted about spaced axes and converging in generally adjacent relationship, said members comprising means elongated in said axes and torsionally strainable to resiliently resist separation by twisting movement about said axes'whereby to permit the members oppositely to engage a keeper member on relative movement between said keeper and members and e'xert a strutting action against relative withdrawal therebetween.

4J. A latching device to be used with a locker or the like comprising a pair of spaced, elongated arms, means providing a retaining seat for said armsV outwardly extending, converging latch portions formed intermediate the ends of said arms, and said arms being fixed in the vicinity of their ends whereby to resist torsional separation of said latch portions by movement in a rotational direction about the axes of said arms.

5. A latching construction comprising a latch unit having a latch supporting frame with a base and opposed flanges extending from said base to provide retaining portions, generally parallel, elongated members arranged in said retaining portions and being xed adjacent their ends, said elongated members having intermediate their length opposed, laterally extending latching portions, said latching portions being normally arranged in converging relationship and being adapted to be resiliently separated in a rotational direction about the axes of the elongated` members and against the torsional resistance thereof,

6. A latching device to be used with a locker 0r the like comprising a pair of spaced, elongated arms, means providing a retaining seat for said arms, outwardly extending, converging separable latch portions formed intermediate the ends of said arms, and said arms being iixed in the vicinity of their ends whereby to resist torsional separation of said latch portions by movement in a rotational direction about the axes of said arms, and keeper means adapted to enter between said separable portions and having shoulder means adapted to engage behind said latch portions to prevent withdrawal.

'L A latching construction for a. locker or th like, comprising a pair of elongated, resilient members having laterally extending end portions and being provided intermediate their end portions with outwardly extending, opposed, generally converging latching coniigurations and means for mounting and supporting said` elongated members comprising opposed longitudinally extending re-entrant means adapted to engage said alongated members against substantial separation thereof and having a rearwardly facing recess means engaging about said laterally extending' portions and interlocking with said laterally extending portions to retain-said elongated members in said re-entrant portion whereby said latching conformations are provided with relatively xed fulcrums and tend to exert a substantial strutting action against the withdrawal of a keeper member.

8. In a latching device of the class described, latch means comprising a pair of spaced, elongated members mounted for torsional displacement about their axes formed intermediate of their length with opposed laterally extending converging latch configurations normally urged toward one another for cooperation with a shouldered keeper adapted to co-act with said latch configurations, said latch coniigurations being operative as struts when interengaged with said shouldered keeper.

9. In combination with a keeper having a shoulder, an elongated latch having one portion formed as an immovably located pivot section supporting a free portion normally disposed at an inclination to the keeper and resiliently shiftable away from said keeper by torsional displacement of said pivot section to shift from a position in advance of said shoulder to a position behind said shoulder, whereby on reverse pull on position lockingly to hold said latch from reverse movement by a strutting action, and means for shifting said latch away from said keeper to release said latch.

10. A latch unit for use in a locker latching device or the like comprising opposed elongated members forming substantially parallel velon'- gated axes, each' oi' said members including a laterally extending latch member, said elongated portions and latch members being normally disposed so that said latch members lie in angularly confronting/adjacent relationship, said axial portions ftorsionally resisting spreading apart movement' of said converging latching members, means for holding'fsaid axial portions in substax-` tially xed location, and operative to engage a keeper member adapted to spread said latch members" apart on movement of said keeper therebetween in one direction, said latch members andaxial portions exerting a strutting action against reverse movement of said keeper.

f `v115A latching unit`- for "use in a locker or the likef'lcomprising two elongated wire-like resilient nernlrners' l disposed normally in spaced-apart paralleli-relationship, each ofsaid wire-like members:` having an inwardly extending projection formingA a latch portion, said wires being so def formed as to' cause the latch portions to lie inclined one with respect to the other in confronting, contiguous relationship, means for mounting the elongated members whereby to hold the same in said predetermined spaced-apart, parallel position while permitting the latch portions to twist angularly to relatively spread-apart position uponinsertion of a keeper therebetween, and operative to engage a keeper havinga shoulder portion adapted on attempted reverse movement of said keeper to engage the latch portions, and whereby the latter exerted a strutting eiect to hold said keeper from retrograde movement.

l2. A latch unit for use in a locker or` the like comprising an elongated wire-like resilient membe'r having a section disposed in a predetermined axis, means for mounting said elongated section v in a predetermined position while permitting the section to twist angularly between its extremities, said section having mounted thereon at a predetermined point an inwardly extending projection forming Ia latchportion and operative -to engage a keeper having a shouldered portion whereby to'exert a strutting effect to hold the keeper from retrograde movement, said latch portion being angularly shiftable away from said keeper to a relatively angular remote position against Vthe torsional strain of said elongated section upon insertion of the keeper therebetween. l

JOHNVB. OCONNOR. 

